NEW DELHI: Tesla has chosen locations for two showrooms in New Delhi and Mumbai, marking a step toward its plan to enter the world’s third-largest auto market, according to news agency Reuters, citing sources.
This decision comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Billionaire Elon Musk in the United States, where they discussed space, mobility, and technology.
The American automotive giant Tesla has been scouting for showroom locations in India since late last year to kickstart sales in the auto market, after previously halting its market entry plans in 2022.
Showroom in Aerocity & Bandra Kurla Complex
Tesla has now secured a lease for showroom space in the Aerocity area near New Delhi’s international airport, a prime hub featuring hotels, retail outlets, and global corporate offices.
In Mumbai, the company has chosen a location in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), a major business and retail district near the city’s airport.
Both showrooms are expected to span approximately 5,000 square feet, though opening dates have not yet been finalised.
The company’s strategy involves “to sell imported EVs in India … these deals are for showrooms, not service centres,” a source told Reuters, who also confirmed that Tesla will manage these facilities directly.
Posted job listings for 13 mid-level positions
The Electric car maker has also posted job listings for 13 mid-level positions in India this week, including roles such as business operations analyst and customer support specialist, signaling a potential market entry.
According to the company’s official website, the vacancies are specifically for the ‘Mumbai Suburban’ region.
The available positions encompass service advisor, parts advisor, service technician, service manager, sales & customer support, store manager, business operations analyst, customer support supervisor, customer support specialist, delivery operations specialist, order operations specialist, inside sales advisor, and consumer engagement manager.
India reduced basic customs duty on premium vehicles
Despite intermittent discussions between Tesla and India over the years, the automaker had remained hesitant due to high import duties. Recently, India reduced its basic customs duty on premium vehicles priced above $40,000 from 110% to 70%, according to a Bloomberg report.
President Donald Trump last week highlighted India’s high vehicle duties but agreed with PM Modi to pursue an expedited trade agreement and address their tariff disagreements.
Although India’s electric vehicle sector remains small compared to China’s, it presents an opportunity for Tesla amidst declining sales, marking its first yearly decrease in EV deliveries in more than ten years. India recorded nearly 100,000 electric car sales last year, while China achieved 11 million.
